The 2008 Annual Meetings of World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be held over the weekend of October 11-13, at the WB and IMF headquarters in Washington D.C. As in previous years, the Civil Society Policy Forum, a program of policy dialogues for civil society organizations (CSOs), will be organized alongside the Annual Meetings. This year the Forum will be held from October 9 – 13, 2008. Also, from October 12 to 19, various citizen actions and mobilizations will take place worldwide, as part of the Week of Global Action against Debt and IFIs. Check the IFIwatchnet coverage during the annual meetings season and keep yourself informed with day to day updates and analysis! *** Contribute to IFIwatchnet WEBLOG

World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings 2008: which direction for the IFIs?

A discussion of the global economy and financial markets dominated the agenda of the IMFC. Other items, such as the challenges of the food and fuel crisis or the upcoming review of IMF lending facilities were little mentioned.
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NGO blames World Bank for global crisis

Activists believed that the developed countries, through the World Bank, and their transnational companies had used the developing countries` indebtedness to absorb as much as possible economic resources of these countries leading to the current climate, financial and food crises.
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"Justice, not charity!" is what they demand

"IFIs bear a significant part of the responsibility for this crisis and with such a record, it is condemnable that they have anything to do with climate programs." Lidy Nacpil coordinator of Jubilee South
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News

Reports

A new Washington consensus?
NGO blames World Bank for global crisis
Freedom from Debt Colation derided bank’s offer to protect the poor against the crisis as a "cure worse than the disease"
Event: Global financial stability: What role for the IMF? (CEPR)
"Justice, not charity!" is what they demand
African finance ministers blame global financial crisis on IMF
U.S. to lose stranglehold on World Bank presidency
IMF in global 'meltdown' warning, by BBC
Why does IMF want to ratchet up pressure on poor?
Calls for change mount at IMF, World Bank meet
G-24 Communiqué calls for a deep reform of the World Bank
Preparations for the Week of Global Action Against Debt and IFIs
Press releases, papers and transcripts from the IMF
Environmentalists criticise World Bank on climate ahead of annual meeting, by The Guardian
Time to reform the IMF?, by BBC
Bretton Woods Project coverage on the Annual Meetings
IMF/WB Annual Meetings in the context of crisis
Protest letter to the chair of the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
Senior figures call for new Bretton Woods ahead of Bank/Fund meetings
Time for change: European civil society open statement on governance reform of the World Bank
Letter on World Bank Governance
World Bank Group readies climate change report
200+ Global groups demand IMF policy reform in developing countries before gold sales approval (pdf)
Book launch: Broad and Cavanagh's "Development Redefined: How the Market Met its Match"
Trade Unions demand effective responses from the IMF and World Bank to worsening financial and food crises
Brazil: Reform of global financial system needed, says Minister
Financial crisis: IMF chases its own tail
Global Day of Action against illegitimate debt, IFIs and Climate Change on October 13, 2008 (pdf)
Managing Director Strauss-Kahn appoints Committee on IMF governance reform (IMF)
Joint Bretton Woods Project Update Nº62
Civil Society letter on IMF review of lending instruments, facilities, and policies - Call to end the PRGF
Poverty is not decreasing as the World Bank claims, by Social Watch
2008 Annual Meetings - Civil Society Policy Forum

World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings 2008: which direction for the IFIs?
Ideological failure
Africans at the IMF/WB Annual Meetings
How badly can the 'experts' ruin the planet?, by John Cavanagh and Robin Broad (AlterNet)
World Economic Outlook 2008
"Dirty is the new clean: A critique of the World Bank’s Strategic Framework for Development and Climate Change"
Enhancing voice and participation of developing and transition countries in the World Bank Group - Options for reform
Who should control the Bank? Rich countries keep their thumbs on the scales
World Bank voice and representation: time for change
Refocusing the IMF (by IMF staff)